Welcome to our 2025 Advent Reading Plan!

Scripture: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NIV)

Reflection: Every year, Advent reminds us that God’s story doesn’t stay distant. It comes close—closer than we expect, and closer than we sometimes know what to do with. This isn’t poetic language meant for stained-glass windows. It’s the gritty, beautiful reality that the God who spoke creation into existence chose to step into our world with skin on. He entered the mess. He experienced the joys, tensions, and longings we carry every day. Advent reminds us that God doesn’t wait for us to climb toward Him; He comes all the way to us. He knows your story. He understands your world. And He’s closer than you think.

Question: Where might Jesus be drawing near in this season—closer than you’ve allowed yourself to notice?

Scripture: “‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’” John 8:58 (NIV)

Reflection: The everyday folks that encountered Jesus during his earthly ministry alternated between shocking unawareness of his divine nature and supreme anger at his claims of authority. Apparently, it was hard to believe that someone with Jesus’ small-town background and humble beginnings might ascend to power. His statement, “before Abraham was, I am,” is a reminder that Christmas is a time of joyful fulfillment rather than shocking unawareness. Jesus’ words also remind us that Christmas is the moment of divine humility instead of human ascendancy. The God who spoke creation into existence, rescued Abraham, and appeared to Moses, took on flesh to rescue humanity from sin and suffering through his own sacrifice.

Question: Why do you think people struggled to recognize Jesus’ true identity, and how might we face similar challenges today in recognizing God’s work this Christmas?

Scripture: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” Revelation 1:8 (NIV)

Reflection: Hindsight always brings clarity to beginnings and endings, but He is always present. He knew we would struggle to stay in the moment; he knew we would wish to start over at times. He knew that we would enjoy some moments so much that we would not want them to end, and that we would have many endings and beginnings full of regret or frustration. This is a simple but powerful opportunity for us to seek His presence intentionally, in our days, weeks, months, years, and ever-present moments, and to shape our spirit, soul, and mind with the Almighty.

Question: How is God asking you to be present with him in a season full of hustle and hurry?

Scripture: “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 40:5 (NIV)

Reflection: This promise reminds us that God’s presence isn’t subtle or uncertain; it breaks through in ways that cannot be missed when He chooses to reveal Himself. His glory brings light into places where we’ve grown weary, renewing our confidence that His purposes will stand. When everything around us feels fragile, this verse anchors us in a God whose word is final and whose presence is radiant.

Question: Where do you need God to reveal His glory in your life today, and what might it look like to open yourself to seeing it?

Scripture: ‘“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’” Revelation 22:16 (NIV)

Reflection: The star above Bethlehem is a critical, yet often overlooked detail of the Christmas story. It heralded the coming of the Son of God! One day, such news as wonderful as this, Christ’s second coming, will also be heralded by a star. The “…bright and morning star,” Jesus himself.

Question: Jesus said to John He is “…both the source of David and the heir to his throne.” How can you use the Christmas story to help look forward to that glorious day Christ returns?

Scripture: “The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’” Luke 1:35 (NIV)

Reflection: Ordinary meets the divine. Heaven breaks through and a young woman’s faith becomes the doorway through which salvation enters the world. Jesus, the very Son of God, conceived by the Spirit, sent to reveal the extravagant love of God. In Jesus, divinity wrapped itself in humanity so that we might know God not as distant, but as present. The Son of God entered our fragility to redeem it, to show us what love looks like with skin on. Advent reminds us that God’s power is not loud or forceful. It’s gentle, unexpected, miraculous, and near.

Question: Where do you need to remember that the same Spirit who overshadowed Mary is still at work bringing the presence of the Son of God into the ordinary places of your life?

Scripture: “‘For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Matthew 20:28 (NLT)  

Reflection: The “Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite name for Himself. The Gospel writers record 80 times He claimed that title. Remarkably, thirty of those times are in Matthew. What did Jesus want to communicate by using this title so often? It emphasizes Jesus’ incarnate human identification with mankind. He is God in human flesh. He became a man in order to serve us and give His life as a ransom for our salvation. On Calvary’s cross He stretched out His human hands to show “This is how much I love you.”  

Question: One might say Jesus “fleshed out” the Divine nature. How do you see the Son of Man showing you God’s love today?

Scripture: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NIV)

Reflection: Peace. When life is hard, don’t we desperately want this? Doesn’t our weary soul crave for a peace that goes beyond what this loud world offers? This is Jesus. He came to us as our Peace, so that our hearts and minds can rest in Him. What a gift. During this Advent season, He offers a peace that goes beyond our understanding, assuring us that we no longer need to be troubled or afraid. He is with us, our Prince of Peace.

Question: Today, what thoughts can be calmed by His promise of peace?

Scripture: “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29 (ESV)

Reflection: In this verse, John the Baptist recognizes that the true purpose of the coming of Christ is to live spotlessly, die sacrificially, and take away the sins of man. Just as the Jews sacrificed a flawless lamb each year to pay for the sins of their household, God sent Jesus as the ultimate spotless sacrifice for all of his children. The assurance that Jesus, the Lamb of God, has taken away our sins changes hearts of stress and fear into hearts full of peace and joy, especially as we approach the time to remember his arrival. 

Question: As we prepare for Christmas, what areas of your life are filled with stress or fear and how can you let the Lamb change them to joy?

Scripture: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isa 7:14 (NIV)

Reflection: How many times have we been reminded that one of Jesus’s many names is Immanuel, God with us? Sometimes it seems so common that we overlook the amazing truth behind it. How do we experience the reality that the God of the universe is truly with us and how do we set our hearts to be aware of His presence in every moment? I believe in the small things like driving toward or along the mountains, the first snowflake, or the changing of the colors in the fall, we are reminded of His presence around us. And most importantly, in the stillness of the night when we are in need of peace and cry out to Him, He is there and provides comfort and rest. I pray you are reminded of His presence in all of the details of your life. 

Question: How will you watch for Jesus in this season and how will you make yourself more aware of His presence?

Scripture: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3 (ESV)

Reflection: Every year, there is a season when I feel like I am an unwanted burden on everyone in my life. This includes acquaintances, work friends, life-long friends, and the people closest to me, my family. I am aware these are self-inflicted feelings with which we all struggle. I used to think this was something only I experienced, but recently I have shared this with several friends and have learned I am not alone in these times of sorrow. That is why this verse is so powerful. God knew that through Jesus, he would know what it is like to be human. Jesus would know what it meant to feel all aspects of sorrow, so we would never have to be alone in those same feelings.  

Question: How can Christ’s compassion toward me move me to show compassion toward those feeling unseen this Advent?

Scripture: “‘The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,’ declares the Lord.” Isaiah 59:20 (NIV)

Reflection: God’s purpose throughout redemptive history has been to reenter and reclaim His creation. Even in the midst of his people’s disobedience and failures, Isaiah reveals a profound promise of restoration, the coming Redeemer. Jesus embodies this promise and acts as the ultimate deliverer of grace to those who seek Him.  For us, this Scripture is a reminder that our hope for redemption and renewal is Jesus, our Redeemer.

Question: What steps will you take this Advent season to prepare your heart to welcome your Redeemer, the One who “buys back” His children with mercy and grace?

Scripture: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation…” Isaiah 28:16 (NIV)

“...built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Ephesians 2:20 (NIV)

Reflection: If we’re honest, much of life feels like shifting ground. That’s why Isaiah’s promise hits so deeply: God would place a cornerstone—a solid, tested, immovable foundation—for His people to build upon. Then Jesus comes, and Paul tells us, This is Him. The Cornerstone isn’t an idea or a principle; it’s a Person. He’s the one your faith can lean its full weight on without fear of collapse. Advent is a yearly reminder that the foundation we long for isn’t found in perfect plans, flawless performance, or keeping everything together. It’s found in Him—the One who holds steady when we do not.

Question: What part of your life needs to be realigned on the Cornerstone who will not move?

Scripture: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV)

Reflection: The Gospel, the Lord’s Good News, was given “…to the world at just the right time.” Neither early nor late. There was only one who could bridge the gap between heaven and humanity, and the almighty God chose His Son to be the mediator for us. He entered the world as an offering, but when he returned to His throne, He left us with the greatest gift of all. 

As we continue through Advent, think on how sweet and gracious it is that God loves us enough to become our mediator on His own behalf. He reconciled our wrongs by rendering, relinquishing, and restoring His Son so that we, too, could be redeemed.

 Question: Both in and out of the Christmas season, how in your life can you follow Christ’s example and be a mediator to those around you?

Scripture: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 (CSB)

Reflection: A priest is a “go-betweener,” a person who enters the presence of God on our behalf, a mediator. The High Priest was the head of the Israelites who would offer sacrifices and go into the Holy of Holies once a year to reconcile the people to God. In the same way, Jesus is our perfect High Priest. What a mercy it is that he became human to show us the way perfectly, and to go between us and God so we might know him again.

Question: As this Christmas draws near, I wonder, how might you slow down to remember the kindness of our High Priest who understands your life fully?

Scripture: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12 (ESV)

Reflection: I was once told that even the deepest darkness will vanish in the faintest light. The world Jesus was born into was sinning without hope of change, yet Christ, a small, helpless baby, was all it took to quench the darkness. When Jesus calls himself the light of the world, he isn’t claiming to be one of many but the only one. He was unique in the way he brought light to the darkness, but not just any light, he brought the light of life. His promise was to single handedly deliver his people, those who would follow him, from a world full of darkness and death into light and life. 

Question: Where do you see darkness in need of the light of the world?

Scripture: “‘I am the bread of life... I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’” John 6:48, 51 (NIV)

Reflection: As I’ve had the opportunity to travel a bit around the world, some version of bread is central to all cultures. For me, there is little that brings more comfort on a Christmas morning than a fresh, hot-from-the-oven, gluten-filled cinnamon roll.  Isn’t it interesting that Jesus would call himself the Bread of Life, knowing that every person ever born would be able to relate to how central bread is to our lives. The bread we experience each day brings comfort and satisfaction, but Jesus, as the Bread of Life, wants to be our ultimate comfort and satisfaction. He wants to be, and is, the only One who can generously satisfy our deepest needs.

Question: John 6:51 invites us to receive Christ not only as the child in the manger but as the living Bread who feeds and sustains spiritual life every day. As you enjoy this season, let the holiday smells remind you of the Bread of Life and ask, “How can I let them point me toward Christ as the true Bread of Life who sustains me?”

Scripture: "I am the vine, and you are the branches. The one who is dwelling in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, because apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (AFT)

Reflection: At Christmas we prioritize our once-a-year connection with family and friends near and far. But Jesus speaks of connection with Him as the True Vine and us as the branches. Branches are adaptable, resilient and fruitful as long as they remain connected to their life-source, the vine.

“Dwelling” is an intentional choice to remain connected to Jesus. Through a deeply dependent relationship with Jesus, we can live a life of spiritual nourishment, power and purpose. Our "fruit" is a transformed life of love, obedience and service to others, the "good works" that glorify God. 

Question: By what spiritual practice will I intentionally remain connected to Jesus during this Advent season?

Scripture: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NIV)

Reflection: These words cut through confusion and longing with stunning simplicity. In a culture of striving, and rule-following, Jesus doesn’t point us toward a path - He is the path. The Way is not a set of steps to follow but a Person to know, trust, and walk with. 

In Advent, we remember that the Way began not in grandeur but in humility: a baby laid in a manger, God’s love wrapped in vulnerability. From the stable to the cross to the empty tomb, Jesus showed us that the Way is one of surrender, grace, and steadfast love. The Way is not about reaching God through our effort, it’s about receiving the One who came to lead us home.

Question: Where in your life do you need to stop searching for the right path and simply walk with the Way Himself?

Scripture: “I am the good shepherd.” John 10:11 (NIV)

Reflection: What a role the shepherds held in the birth of Jesus. Those guarding simple sheep that night were entrusted with the greatest message the angels could ever proclaim. Jesus is our good shepherd. He alone entrusts Himself to guard our very lives against all that would steal, kill, and destroy us. Jesus. Our shepherd, our guide, provider, and protector. Today, and always.

Question: What about today reflects the goodness of His protection and provision in your life?

Scripture: “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Acts 2:36 (NLT)  

Reflection: The title Lord is used 110 times in the book of Acts to refer to Jesus. Clearly, this is significant. By His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus proved He has universal divine authority. The Lord Jesus is our master, commander, and ruler. What He says must be obeyed. 

Question: What is our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to you about this season? What does He want you to do? Will you say, “Yes Lord”?

Scripture: "Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah." Matthew 16:20 (NIV)

Reflection: Sometimes we forget that “Messiah”, which means “God’s chosen One” isn’t just a title; it’s Jesus stepping into our messy lives to bring hope and light. In Matthew 16:20, He tells the disciples not to announce His identity yet, almost like saying, “Wait and see how I show up.” During Christmas, we remember He came not in a palace, but in a manger, showing that God’s rescue often comes in the quiet, unexpected places. When we notice His gentle presence, we see He carries the parts of us we try to hide, even our fears and failures. The Messiah isn’t asking us to have it all together; He’s asking us to let Him in.

Question: Where in your life is Jesus inviting you to welcome Him this Christmas, not just as a baby in a story, but as your living, caring Messiah?

Scripture: “Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’” Matthew 16:16 (ESV)

Reflection: “Who do you say I am?” a question posed by Jesus to Simon Peter. “You are the Christ.” he responds. The title “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah.” While yes, they carry the same basic meaning, there is one place in which they differ. Christ is a title and identifier reserved uniquely for Jesus alone. In his very name, he is set apart as the anointed one, God come to earth in a human vessel, made to be broken and poured out as oil. He is not a messiah, he is not a Christ, he is the only Christ, and he is here for you.

Question: What would it look like to celebrate this Christmas centered on Jesus, not just as the baby in the manger, but the anointed one sent for you?

Scripture: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (NIV)

Reflection: Every time the glory of the Lord appears in the Old Testament, people respond with fear. Standing in the presence of God’s beauty, holiness, and power reveals the ugliness of our sin and the sum of our imperfections. But when an angel of the Lord appears in a field to the shepherds, many of whom were likely mercenaries of ill repute, the angel exhorts the fear-filled shepherds to stop being afraid. Why? Because “today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Jesus, the Savior of mankind, came as a helpless baby, with nothing that would indicate his glory, so that instead of backing away in fear, we would approach him with joy.

Question: How does the way Jesus enters the world at Christmas - as a vulnerable baby - shape your understanding of God’s heart toward us? In what ways does his gentleness invite you to draw near rather than pull back in fear?

Scripture: “‘She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’” Matthew 1:21 (NIV)

Reflection: Christmas morning has a way of slowing us down—just for a moment—to remember the heart of this whole story. The angel said, “You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Notice the simplicity: Jesus saves. It’s who He is. It’s what He came to do. He didn’t enter the world to add a little inspiration to our lives or give us one more tradition to observe. He came because we needed more than encouragement—we needed rescue. And He doesn’t rescue from a distance. He steps right into the middle of our mess and our need. His name carries the weight of God’s promise: “I see you. I know you. I’ve come for you.” On the day when hope took on a human name, we’re reminded that salvation isn’t something we achieve. It’s Someone we receive.

Question: Where do you most need the saving, steadying presence of Jesus to meet you today?

Merry Christmas, Harbor Fam!